Sad story - I have now lost 4 of my best breeding females this season (since January). I haven't done anything differently. They were all treated with coccivet in January because of the wet season, they have all had adequate grit, cuttlefish and calcium supplements in the water as well as fresh fruit/veggies (corn, carrot etc) and freshly picked grass seeds from my lawn.

 

I lost one tonight, I went down to the aviary and knew she was in trouble (making noises as if in pain and sitting with her tail up) so we warmed her up in a box with a hot water bottle (she only died 10 mins ago). The others have all happened during the night when I couldn't have noticed (same with my bourke parrot )

 

Is anyone else having issues this season or am I just really unlucky?

 

Coincidently, 3 of these birds have been paired with the same male (who has bred successfully before with no issues whatsoever) so I'm at a loss as to what's going on.

 

(the nest boxes/cages are in the aviary so I don't want to disturb all the birds again tonight). Daddy bird seems to be in the nest box, but now I'm going to lose all 5 (3 of which are definitely fertile) eggs as I have no incubator and all other pairs have just finished hatching their chicks. Do you think it's worth the risk putting them with a female that hasn't laid (and is too old to do so, but she likes checking out nest boxes all the same)...

Edited March 19, 201213 yr by SarahC

What access to sunlight for the absorption of vitamin D3 is there ?

 

 

http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Birds/Vitamin-D:-A-Sick-Budgie-Breakthrough/6123

Edited March 19, 201213 yr by **KAZ**

They do get good sunlight in the mornings (and before I put them in the nests they have the whole outdoor flight to bask to their hearts content). It's been set up this way for 4 seasons now hence I'm confused. I might get some vitamin D supplement just in case, it's about the only medicine I don't have.

Edited March 19, 201213 yr by SarahC

If deficient in vitamin D3 they cannot process calcium to their bodies..post some photos of your aviaries so we can help assess your access to good sunlight.

Of the other nests that have finished hatching, how old are those chicks? You might still be able to foster the eggs to them, if the youngest is within a few days old.

As a side thought is it possible the Cock may incubate eggs? if female is missing and he's been in box. Has anyone heard of this?

Of the other nests that have finished hatching, how old are those chicks? You might still be able to foster the eggs to them, if the youngest is within a few days old.

Hi I would follow Finnie's advice. That may be your best option. Did you apply Olive Oil to the

 

Egg bound hens vents? If you didn't It has been known to help. okay.. Yours B.J.

There are pics already in another thread Kaz, (http://forums.budgie...=1) it's the one built around the pool fence. I would be inclined to believe that this could be the issue, however the birds that have died have died within 2 weeks of being put in the nest boxes. Before this they had all the access to light and calcium (bells, grit and cuttlefish + occasional water supplements) that they could possibly want in the outdoor flight for at least 6 months since their last nest. I would be very surprised if something could happen that fast. Like I said, this is a weird occurrence, I have had this set up for many years and never had a problem. Just in case though I have bought some vit D3 from the pet store and given some to the birds. It can't hurt and at this point I'll try almost anything.

 

The weird thing is that the birds have all died in the same cage (which is the one that, coincidentally gets the best light). I have disinfected it with pet store disinfectant and also vinegar between birds, just in case.

 

 

If deficient in vitamin D3 they cannot process calcium to their bodies..post some photos of your aviaries so we can help assess your access to good sunlight.

Edited March 21, 201213 yr by SarahC

Possible red mite in the box, .

Try the birds on a little sunflower (Oil Seed ) before breeding.

Do you think I should feed the birds in the nest on small parrot mix (mixed with budgie) for the sunflower? Most of them have had access to the sunflower as I have a mixed aviary with neophemas/bourkes so I have both seed varieties available at all times?

 

Possible red mite in the box, .

Try the birds on a little sunflower (Oil Seed ) before breeding.

 

 

 

Daddy bird seems to be in the nest box, but now I'm going to lose all 5 (3 of which are definitely fertile) eggs as I have no incubator and all other pairs have just finished hatching their chicks.

 

Reading back through, would a hen become egg bound after laying 5 eggs? I haven't had this problem, I thought it may be something else . Maybe someone could advise for future info. If this is possible

Yeah - I was thinking the same thing - the timing did work out that it was 2-3 days after her last egg. Maybe it was a coincidence?

Daddy bird seems to be in the nest box, but now I'm going to lose all 5 (3 of which are definitely fertile) eggs as I have no incubator and all other pairs have just finished hatching their chicks.

 

Reading back through, would a hen become egg bound after laying 5 eggs? I haven't had this problem, I thought it may be something else . Maybe someone could advise for future info. If this is possible

Reading back through, would a hen become egg bound after laying 5 eggs?

Yes they can. They can become eggbound at any stage of the egglaying